Minnie Organ, SHSMO's first paid staff member, was a native of Dent County. Hired as assistant librarianin 1901, Organ remained with SHSMO until 1910.

Citizens, officials and students interested in Missouri history, biography, and genealogy will find in SHSMO’s Research Centers unsurpassed collections. The reference collection of books, pamphlets, and official state publications total more than 165,000 items. SHSMO also holds more than 9,000 manuscript collections, more than 8,000 maps, and over 56,000 rolls of newspapers on microfilm.